Rosario Murillo

BFA | Painting & Drawing

ARTIST BIO

I’m Rosario Murillo, a Mexican American artist from St. Louis, Missouri, pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts with a concentration in painting and a supplementary major in Latino Studies. My work reflects my identity as a Mexican American and centers themes of cultural memory and resilience. I’m especially interested in how tradition and trauma are passed down, and how art can help break cycles and heal. My thesis project is a reimagined lotería set—a self-portrait told through 16 custom cards that each highlight a personal or collective truth from my upbringing. Painting allows me to explore symbolism, storytelling, and identity in layered, emotional ways. When I’m not in the studio, I enjoy visiting thrift stores, watching true crime documentaries, and spending time with my family. I hope to continue creating work that celebrates Latinx culture while sparking dialogue about history, belonging, and what it means to grow up between worlds.

ARTIST STATEMENT

Entre Cartas y Raíces is a self-portrait told through sixteen custom Loteria cards that reflect the layered experience of growing up Mexican American. Each card is an oil painting on a 9.5” by 14” inch panel backed with acrylic, blending traditional concepts with contemporary themes and images. Inspired by the original Loteria game created during the Mexican Revolution to promote national unity, this body of work reclaims the game as a personal archive, one that celebrates culture, questions injustice, and reflects dual identity. In this work, I use the framework of the game to explore how identity is shaped not only by chance or inheritance but by personal choices and resistance. I invite viewers to consider how our roots shape us, how our fates are formed, and how we might play the game differently- not just with the cards we’ve been dealt, but with the ones we choose to create.

Online

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